Sunday, November 22, 2009

To make up for my lack of new recipes recently here are three delicious vegetarian side dishes for Thanksgiving, a day of feastial indulgence.

While my household loves its meat, we have quite a few vegetarian recipes in our rotation. Last March, during a period of high stress, my husband, Mike, had an attack of gout, a hereditary condition that is exacerbated by a diet high in protein. From then on, Meatless wasn't just for Mondays anymore.

Here are three delicious vegetarian, even possibly vegan with some simple modifications, dishes for your Thansgiving Table. For more vegetarian recipes for Thanksgiving, check out Focus Organic, which included the following recipe.

Carrot-Quinoa Cakes6 servings

As pictured above, these little cakes are delicious paired with seared sea scallops. They complement the mollusks delicious sweetness.

Peel and slice the carrot approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cover with water in a small saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender approximately 20 minutes. Drain and then puree in a food processor or mash until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook the onion until softened and lightly caramelized, approximately 6 minutes.. Add the cumin and cook for another minute. Mix the carrot puree, quinoa, onions and flour in a medium bowl. Form into cakes 2-inches in diameter and sauté in olive oil until golden on each side. Mix together the yogurt and dill. Top each cake with a dollop of yogurt.

Heat the butter or oil in a saute pan and cook the onions slowly until caramelized. Add the Brussels sprouts and stir to coat with the fat. Add the salt, water, and pomegranate juice and cook until the leaves are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and add the turnips, cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve garnished with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

Broccoli and Roasted Garlic Puree4-6 servings

Puree seen in the background (advance apologies for its meaty partner).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the florets and cook for 3 minutes or until bright green and crisp tender. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and drain. Slice the stalks and add to the water. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until they're tender. Drain. Puree the stalks and half the florets in a food processor with the roasted garlic cloves. Add olive oil and salt and serve garnished with the florets.